


Cat Got Your Tongue?

by Aer



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Bakery and Coffee Shop, Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute, Modern Era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-28
Updated: 2018-02-28
Packaged: 2019-03-25 08:10:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13830057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aer/pseuds/Aer
Summary: Sakumo just wanted coffee. What he got was embarrassment, ridiculousness... and a date?





	Cat Got Your Tongue?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [blackkat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackkat/gifts).



> Blackkat graciously gave me permission to use the story of how she met her wife as basis for this drabble. Thank you, Kat!
> 
> Also, I’ve discovered that I can’t write Orochimaru at all. I’m so sorry.

Sakumo blinked gritty eyes at the clock implacably flashing the time at him. Eight am had snuck up on him, somehow- hadn’t it just been midnight? He’d only meant to go through the vocabulary list one more time, but then he’d noticed some notes on conjugation rules he couldn’t remember, and one thing had lead to another and now here he was. The next day, with no sleep and the start of his day looming. 

Sakumo needed coffee. Desperately. Pulling an all nighter to study for his upcoming German exam had probably been one of the stupider decisions he’d made in recent history, and now he was in dire need of caffeine to make it through the day to said exam. 

The silver haired man slowly staggered his way out of the small apartment and down the stairs. He vaguely remembered seeing a cafe a block down from his building, and he began making his slow, shambling way there, dodging a few pedestrians that looked about as happy to be awake at eight in the morning on a Monday as he felt. 

At least the coffee shop was open. A small bell jangled as he pushed open the door, making him grimace as the cheerful sound burrowed into his aching head. Sakumo didn’t bother to even look around until he got to the counter. 

“Welcome to The Beans’ Knees, what can I get for you?” A low, smooth voice finally made him look up. 

“Hi, I’d like-“ Sakumo made eye contact with the person behind the counter, and promptly forgot that language existed. Long, dark hair framed pale, porcelain skin, and sharp golden eyes stared at him as one elegant eyebrow arched upwards. 

“Yes?” The most beautiful person he’d ever seen prompted. 

The jumble of words that emerged from Sakumo’s mouth next was enough to make his German professor cry, as his stunned, sleep deprived brain shoved all the information he’d been cramming into it for the past eight hours out in a mash up of Japanese, German, and English that even he couldn’t decipher- and he’d been the one to _say_ it!

Sakumo felt his face go incandescently hot, and he tried frantically to apologize. 

It came out in German. 

He dropped his face into his hands as the heat reached the tips of his ears. 

“I’m so, so sorry.” Finally, blessedly, coherent _Japanese_ speech came out. “It’s been a long night, I was studying for my German exam, and-“

His rambling was interrupted by a low, chiming chuckle that slowly rose in volume until it was ringing through the quiet- and thank God nearly _empty_ \- coffee shop. Sakumo dared to peak up, through his fingers, and heard his heart thud loudly in his ears. The barista, one hand half covering their mouth, was laughing, eyes bright with mirth and that gorgeous laugh spilling out. 

‘Oh no.’ Sakumo thought, dazed. ‘OH no. They’re _cute_.’

“I generally prefer handsome, and I use he pronouns.” He corrected, eyes still sparkling, and Sakumo felt his feet try to become one with the floor. If only the rest of his body could follow...

“Said that out loud, did I?” He asked, and his face must have shown the sheer mortification he was feeling, because the barista’s face softened slightly. 

“Yes. It was actually almost sweet. If you like things a bit mushy.” He turned to the stack of cups sitting next to the espresso machine. “Would you like to try that order again? In just one language this time, please, Professor Hiruzen himself might actually rip out some of his beard trying to decipher that last one.”

Sakumo’s flush returned full force. “Um, a vanilla latte with three shots of espresso please?”

The barista nodded. “And your name?”

“Sakumo. What’s yours?” He blurted out with the last of his failing courage. Sakumo was pretty sure his feet must have melded into the floorboards by this point. It was the only way to explain why he hadn’t bolted from sheer, exhausted embarrassment and misery at making a complete fool of himself in front of the gorgeous barista yet. 

The dark haired beauty twisted back towards Sakumo, one long finger tapping at the name tag that he had somehow completely failed to notice. 

“Oh.” He was really just completely useless today, wasn’t he? “Sorry, Orochimaru.”

Orochimaru turned back to the machine, deftly drawing the first of the three shots. “Forgiven. I have to say, you at least seem to have a much better reason for forgetting the existence of name tags than most of the customers I see here.” The words were dry, but seemed genuine.

Sakumo heaved a sigh at himself. “Still, sorry.” It seemed like no time at all later that his drink was slid across the counter to him. “Thanks. What do I owe you?” He dug in his pocket for his wallet, but Orochimaru waved him off. 

“On the house. I haven’t laughed like that in a long time, and I appreciate it.” He offered Sakumo a sharp smile, and Sakumo felt warmth once more crawl up his face- though this time it had nothing to do with embarrassment. 

“How much longer is your shift?” He asked, feeling a sudden surge of bravery at that lovely, lovely smile. “I’d really like to buy you a drink.” Orochimaru twisted around towards the back of the shop. 

“Jiraiya! Wake up, you lazy oaf!”

“Whaaaat?” Came the very sleepy groan. “I’m not sleeping.”

“I’m taking my break, so get out here and man the counter. And stop napping in the store room!” Orochimaru snapped. 

“Fiiiine.”

Orochimaru turned back to Sakumo and smiled. Sakumo was fairly certain he couldn’t breath. “Certainly, but I prefer tea.”

“Tea it is.” Sakumo agreed, hardly able to believe that had worked. He watched as Orochimaru swiftly set a pot of green tea steeping and moved out from behind the counter, tray in hand. 

“The best seats are over there.” Orochimaru gestured at a cozy pair of armchairs set in the far corner of the shop, making his way over with long, graceful strides. Sakumo followed in a daze, not even really hearing the crash that reverberated from behind the counter. 

This day was definitely shaping up.


End file.
